Incredible photographs of a kingfisher mid-flight and diving for food capture the bird’s ‘vibrant wonder’.
Peter Wilkinson, 60, took these stunning photos of the bird in Kirkcudbright, in Dumfries and Galloway.
Peter, who is now retired, said: “It was the first time I had visited this hide with a specific diving perch set up and it wasn’t long before a kingfish showed interest in it and started to dive.
“Unfortunately we were not blessed with the Scottish sunshine, but nevertheless it provided a great spectacle for over two hours.
“With my settings tuned and locked in, I set the camera to capture at 30 frames per second, remotely releasing the shutter from 20 feet away, hidden to avoid spooking the bird.
“The kingfisher doesn’t look as though it belongs in this country with its vibrant plumage and always draws me to photograph it.
“You can never get the perfect shot, but it very rewarding trying.”
From growing up in the English Lake District amongst the rivers, woods and hills, without a camera, Peter initially started photographing sports in his youth alongside a photographer for the local newspaper.
It was during the COVID-19 lockdown, when he was forced into enjoying what was immediately on his doorstep.
Peter had discovered he had a real passion for photography again and the ‘challenge’ of capturing wildlife became a real goal for him.
He added: “Now essentially retired, I have more time to ‘wander’ and a network of friends has developed sharing knowledge of wildlife activity in the local area.
“The bucket list of animal to capture is reducing, but the opportunity of always ‘getting a better shot’ never diminishes”.
The photographs were taken on on 2 December.
